Nothing Phone (3a) Review: specs and features, camera quality test, gaming benchmark, user opinions and photos

Nothing Phone (3a) - bright, technological and so controversial

The Chinese company Nothing decided to start the year quite productively. Thus, potential buyers were presented with a new mid-price smartphone, which retains the signature features of its predecessors and presents improved technical characteristics. However, several extremely strong opponents from Realme and Xiaomi question the success of an interesting, but at the same time more expensive new product.

The appearance of the device definitely attracts attention. LED glyphs on the "transparent" back panel made of high-quality polycarbonate, the ergonomic shape of the case, relatively thin display frames, the original horizontal arrangement of photo modules will definitely leave a positive impression on any user. But if competitors have already begun to offer full moisture protection according to IP68 standards, but in the gadget we see only IP64. The 6.77-inch AMOLED screen is not able to surprise with its resolution of 2392x1080 pixels, although the image clarity is still good. But the advantages of the AMOLED panel include excellent peak brightness of 3000 nits, realistic color rendition, 120 Hz refresh rate and the presence of an oleophobic coating.

The Qualcomm Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 processor will be increasingly used in devices in the value category, because it combines good gaming performance (800,000 points in the AnTuTu test) and decent energy efficiency. Of course, the chipset handles the Android 15 interface without any problems, leaving no room for even minor lags. As for games, even in resource-intensive Genshin Impact, Fortnite, Wreckfest and similar projects, you can safely set medium-high graphics settings and get a stable framerate. The 5000mAh battery will provide about 8-9 hours of screen time, and it also has a fast 50W wired charging. Unfortunately, there is no wireless analog. There are also questions about the amount of permanent memory, because 128/256GB already seem modest in 2025. They cannot be expanded with MicroSD cards.

The photographic capabilities are competitive. The main 50-megapixel Samsung ISOCELL GN3 module with hybrid stabilization will help create detailed evening shots with a small amount of noise, and the same 50MP telephoto lens with a 2x optical zoom will allow you to capture distant objects during the day. Only the 8-megapixel wide-angle lens looks mediocre in this trio. There is stereo sound, although it is not a flagship in terms of volume and frequency response uniformity. Of course, NFC and 5G support are not forgotten. As a result, the device is not considered a failure, but the price tag is not the most humane and serious competitors will not turn it into a future hit.